The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-10-01

States report, which gives the aggregate value
OF personal property returned for taxation, for
each year running back for years. and he ar
rived at the result by subtracting the personal
property returned for taxation In 1895, from that
returned in 1888 which difference was sss 0Oo,-
600. But he concealed the fact (Which any one
can see by examining the Auditor of States re-
porD that the personal property returned for
taxation in 1888 was several million dollars
greater than was ever returned before or since.
He concealed the fact that last yNar under his
administration. there were returhed $4,000, ,OO0
lcsD than IN 1883. and si3,0000OO less than was
returned in 1885, the second year OF Hoadly's
administration.
But allow me 10 inquire what has tho Govern.
or of Ohio to do with the return OF personal
property for taxation? The Governor OF Ohio
does not go around with tin box strapped on
his back, to list the mules, cattle and dogs, nor
has he supervision or control over either the
assessors, whose business 1t is to attend to this
or OF the people, whose duty II is to return
their personal property for taxation. Yet Gov
crnor Foraker tries to make the people believe
that q chance decline in the value OF personal
property returned for taxation In 1891 and 1885,
was all the fault OF Governor Hoadys stu
pcndous blundcrs and gigantic failures, and
boasts that rs result of his sending that spec
ial message to the Legislature, that
II quote his Words 'the ruinous
rate Of decline was INSTANTLY STOPPED and we
had in consequence, the first year after an IN
crease OF about si90OO,0O0 In the aggregate Of
the grand duplicate OF the State Take notice
no don't say that the PERSONAL property
returned for taxation was increased $40, 900
oh, MOI! But he says the grand duplicate was
increased that amount The grand duplicate
embraces both real estate and personal prop
erty. Now the increase Of personal property
returned in 1886, over 1885, was q little over
@OO0,O0O. rs any one can by reference to
page fifty Of the Auditor OF States report for
1886. So that II the Governors &10,OOO,OOO state
mcnt is correct, his special message had the ef-
feet not only to scare the people OF Ohio into
making honest returns to the assessors, but in
some way operated on the real estate OF the
country to the tune OF something over Sl4,-
100000.
What u "stupendous blunder and gigantic
failure" 1t was on the part of Governor Hoadly,
when 1t appeared that the people were not
listing all their personal property for taxation,
that he did not have Forakers presence of
mind and send special message to the Lcgis.
lature andi 'instdntfy atop the ruin0us rate of
decline"
Look at the 100000 that Foraker says has
already been saved to the State by the magic
influence Of his wonderful message. Look at
the droves OF hogs, and sheep, and the herds of
bulls and jackasses that were wantonly rowing
nbout untaxed in defiance of law. that instantly
came down like whipped spaniels'' and sub.
mitted themselves for taxation as soon rs they
heard OF Foraker's special message. Not only
that but as can be seen by reference to the
Auditor OF States report there was q
decrease OF one hundred dogs in the State in
1886, and consequently 1893 less sheep killed,
nll on account of the miraculous message OF
our Governor. Whether the message killed
the dogs or they became so frightened ut it
that they hid themselves and could not be list
ed for taxation, statistics do not show.
LOCAL INDEBTEDNESS.
The Governor in his Toledo speech said that
the local bonded debt Of Ohio increased some
sG,C0o.0)0 during Hoadly's administration, but
by "cdr.fW business management" he had man
aged thus far in the first year of his administra
tion to keep 1t down to an increase of only s237.
900. Again I would like to inquire what has the
Governor Of Ohio to do with the local bonded
debts in this State? We would like to have
some particulars relating to the "cdreful bust
ness management" Of our Governor, whereby he
kept 1t down! AS every one knows, the local
debt Of Ohio to which he refers consists OF the
expenses incurred by towns, cities and villages
in building sewers, town halls and other local
improvements. / would therefore like to in
quire, did his "cdreful business mdnagemeat'
whereby he kept the local indebtedness down
consist in going around with q club, intimidat
ing town and city councils from voting their
constituents into debt, or did he only send them
one OF his special messages or in what manne {
did he accomplish this marvellous feat?